The results of the first year's efforts
were that over two million tons were shipped beyond the Nore, ten thousand
tons of floating refuse were cleared away, and the liquid effluent was
largely purified. It was predicted at the time that if this process was
continued on the same scale it would not be long before the commoner
estuary fishes appeared above London Bridge, even if the migratory salmon
and sea-trout still held aloof. Unfortunately there has been some
deviation from the methods of dealing with the sewage, a change from which
we believe that some of the officials concerned with the early
improvements very strongly dissented, that has to some extent retarded the
advance of the fish. But in 1895 a sudden "spurt" took place in their
return. Whitebait became so plentiful that during the whole of the winter
and spring the results were obvious, not only to naturalists, but on the
London market. Whitebait shoals swarmed in the Lower Thames and the
Medway, and became a cheap luxury even in February and March. They were
even so suicidally reckless as to appear off Greenwich. Supplies of fresh
fish came into the market twice daily, and were sold retail at sixpence
per quart.
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